Open Water Source - The Global Home of Open Water Swimming
Preferred Web Browsers
This website works best with the following web browsers. Each one is a free download, and each one provides an optimal browsing experience.
PLEASE NOTE:
If you are using Internet Explorer, you may experience difficulties with certain features of this website. Internet Explorer users, please go directly to the Open Water Source membership site.
Videos and Podcasts
Powered by Flash
This website requires Adobe Flash Player.
Click HERE to download.
A FREE Gift to the Open Water Community!
Open Water Safety:
Many Rules, Different Venues, One Goal
There are numerous rules, interpretations and traditions - both local and international - that dictate and influence the safety procedures, guidelines and rules used in open water swims, but there is only one goal: safety for all.
Every open water swimming course is different and every open water swimming course can be different from day-to-day and from hour-to-hour.
Safety plans, procedures and protocols may be difficult and challenging, but they should also be based on common sense and local knowledge of the waterways.
Considerations may slightly differ between a limited field of professional swimmers and large fields for amateur races, between solo swims and competitions, and between events in the world's oceans, seas, lakes, fjords, bays, rivers, reservoirs, lagoons or canals, but this section provides a broad generic overview of various fundamental safety aspects.
Comprehensive, customized open water safety seminars and safety plan reviews are offered by Open Water Source.
Every open water swimming course is different and every open water swimming course can be different from day-to-day and from hour-to-hour.
Safety plans, procedures and protocols may be difficult and challenging, but they should also be based on common sense and local knowledge of the waterways.
Considerations may slightly differ between a limited field of professional swimmers and large fields for amateur races, between solo swims and competitions, and between events in the world's oceans, seas, lakes, fjords, bays, rivers, reservoirs, lagoons or canals, but this section provides a broad generic overview of various fundamental safety aspects.
Comprehensive, customized open water safety seminars and safety plan reviews are offered by Open Water Source.
Golden Rules for Open Water Swimming Safety
For Race Directors
1. There should be a pair of eyes potentially on every swimmer at every point in the race.
2. There should be no blind spots along the course.
What do these two Golden Rules practically mean?
At any point in the race, someone (race officials, lifeguards, volunteers or spectators) should potentially be able to see every swimmer in the water. This does not mean that every swimmer should always have a pair of eyes glued on them. It only means that IF a swimmer has to be located at any point in time, there is someone in position to see them along the course. In other words, if there are points along the course where athletes cannot be seen (blinds spots) by someone, then the Golden Rules of Open Water Safety are not followed.
2. There should be no blind spots along the course.
What do these two Golden Rules practically mean?
At any point in the race, someone (race officials, lifeguards, volunteers or spectators) should potentially be able to see every swimmer in the water. This does not mean that every swimmer should always have a pair of eyes glued on them. It only means that IF a swimmer has to be located at any point in time, there is someone in position to see them along the course. In other words, if there are points along the course where athletes cannot be seen (blinds spots) by someone, then the Golden Rules of Open Water Safety are not followed.
For Swimmers
1. Always swim with a buddy.
2. If a swim buddy is not available, swim close to shore or where someone can see you or with an escort - both in training and competition.
3. Tell people (family, coaches, friends or people on the shoreline) where and when and how far you are going to swim.
4. If you cannot answer simple questions about yourself (e.g., your telephone number, your pet's name, your street address), then your mental state is being adversely affected by extremes (heat or cold or exhaustion). Your support team or the race officials should immediately pull you out of the water - which you may protest (another indicator of danger).
5. The open water is inherently dangerous. Ask questions from knowledgeable local people about the water before you go in.
2. If a swim buddy is not available, swim close to shore or where someone can see you or with an escort - both in training and competition.
3. Tell people (family, coaches, friends or people on the shoreline) where and when and how far you are going to swim.
4. If you cannot answer simple questions about yourself (e.g., your telephone number, your pet's name, your street address), then your mental state is being adversely affected by extremes (heat or cold or exhaustion). Your support team or the race officials should immediately pull you out of the water - which you may protest (another indicator of danger).
5. The open water is inherently dangerous. Ask questions from knowledgeable local people about the water before you go in.
Lead Boats
Lead boats either watch the lead pack of athletes with referees or race officials on board - or they actually lead the fastest swimmers along the course.
Other official boats and safety marshals along the course keep an eye out for the middle-of-the-pack and trailing swimmers.
Other official boats and safety marshals along the course keep an eye out for the middle-of-the-pack and trailing swimmers.
Kayaks, Paddle Boards
and/or JetSkis
Kayakers, paddle boarders and surf skiers must always scan the field - from fastest to slowest - and have the communication means to alert the swimmers and officials if there are problems or emergencies.
Be Reasonable, Use Common Sense When Dealing With Mother Nature
Because the natural elements - both water and weather - are so dynamic and unpredictable, the ultimate safety of open water swimmers depends on rules and guidelines supported by common sense and a reasonable, flexible approach to safety that is properly determined by the race director, the race organization staff and local authorities (in the case of a race) or by the coach and pilot (in the case of a solo marathon swim).
Numbering
of Athletes
Numbering of athletes is essential to enable the race organization and timing company to keep track of the athletes in the water and at the end of the race.
Stamps work much better than hand-written numbers.
Stamps work much better than hand-written numbers.
Positioning of Safety Personnel on Course
Safety personnel should be positioned along the course in a variety of positions.
They are assigned specific areas to patrol with adequate communication tools to alert others and the command control.
They are assigned specific areas to patrol with adequate communication tools to alert others and the command control.
Night Sticks, Glow Sticks,
Disc Lights
To identify a swimmer in the dark, especially during solo swim, different types of illumination are available.
Likewise, escort kayakers and paddlers also have different types of illumination on their body or equipment
Likewise, escort kayakers and paddlers also have different types of illumination on their body or equipment
Identification of Safety Personnel
Safety personnel and course marshals should be easily identified by each other, the swimmers and the spectators at the competition.
The communication between the race director, course marshals and safety personnel should be convenient and easily performed through the use of radios or mobile phones.
The communication between the race director, course marshals and safety personnel should be convenient and easily performed through the use of radios or mobile phones.
What Is the Safety Net During An Open Water Swimming Event?
Open water swimming is a sport inherent with risks. Risks from marine life, from currents and tidal flows, from exhaustion, from hypothermia and hyperthermia, from collisions with piers, docks, pontoons, feeding stations, escort boats, kayakers and surf skis.
The more eyes on the swimmers in the open water, the safer the swimmers generally are. An experienced race director actively engages the assistance of four different levels of safety:
The highest level of responsibility falls on the race organization staff who creates structures, provides equipment, sets the philosophy and plans, prepares and prioritizes safety well before race day. This includes contracted staff, assigned Safety Officer and volunteer medical personnel as well as local lifeguards, fishermen and boaters who know the body of water best. Consultation with all of these different groups falls upon the shoulders of the race director and staff.
Race volunteers stationed along the course, both on the water and on shore, provide the second set of eyes on the swimmers. These volunteers are provided pre-race instructions on what to do when problems or emergencies occur and are provided with whistles, binoculars and mobile communication devices.
Spectators on shore can also help. The race announcer keeps the spectators on shore engaged by calling attention to everyone on the course, from the fastest to slowest swimmers. Through the voice of the announcer, the eyes of the spectators can be directed to scan the course that serves to increase the safety net.
Finally, the swimmers themselves are often the first to respond to a fellow swimmer in need. During pre-race instructions, all swimmers should be told how to call for help and where that help will be located (in boats, on kayaks, JetSkis, surf skis or paddle boards, on shore, with radios, dressed in red or other identifiable colors). While a race director cannot depend on swimmers, they are often an active line of defense.
The more eyes on the swimmers in the open water, the safer the swimmers generally are. An experienced race director actively engages the assistance of four different levels of safety:
- Race organization staff
- Race volunteers
- Spectators
- Swimmers
The highest level of responsibility falls on the race organization staff who creates structures, provides equipment, sets the philosophy and plans, prepares and prioritizes safety well before race day. This includes contracted staff, assigned Safety Officer and volunteer medical personnel as well as local lifeguards, fishermen and boaters who know the body of water best. Consultation with all of these different groups falls upon the shoulders of the race director and staff.
Race volunteers stationed along the course, both on the water and on shore, provide the second set of eyes on the swimmers. These volunteers are provided pre-race instructions on what to do when problems or emergencies occur and are provided with whistles, binoculars and mobile communication devices.
Spectators on shore can also help. The race announcer keeps the spectators on shore engaged by calling attention to everyone on the course, from the fastest to slowest swimmers. Through the voice of the announcer, the eyes of the spectators can be directed to scan the course that serves to increase the safety net.
Finally, the swimmers themselves are often the first to respond to a fellow swimmer in need. During pre-race instructions, all swimmers should be told how to call for help and where that help will be located (in boats, on kayaks, JetSkis, surf skis or paddle boards, on shore, with radios, dressed in red or other identifiable colors). While a race director cannot depend on swimmers, they are often an active line of defense.
Four levels of safety in open water swimming are shown above. The concepts and their practical applications are part of the Open Water Swimming Coaches Certification Program, the Open Water Swimming Race Director Education Program and Open Water Swimming Race Officials Certification Program.
What may be needed in cold salt rough water is often different than what may be needed in warm flat lake water. The experience of the race director and those who provide advice will dictate what countermeasures and safety principles are applied.
Observation of Athletes - Lead Pack vs. Trailing Swimmers
Competition Among The Leaders
The lead pack of swimmers - the fastest of the field - are usually well-attended to by the officials and volunteers. The attention of the race announcer and race officials are usually fixed on the leaders. However, the entire field demands the attention of the race director, on-the-water safety marshals and volunteers.
Middle-of-the-Pack and Trailing Swimmers
Experienced water safety staff and race directors often divide the entire course into manageable segments.
Each segment has a designated number of water safety personnel - both onshore and on the water - in order to take care of the entire field of swimmers.
As the swimmers pass from one segment to the other, the water safety staff stay diligently focused on the swimmers in their area - and are in close communication with others on the course.
Each segment has a designated number of water safety personnel - both onshore and on the water - in order to take care of the entire field of swimmers.
As the swimmers pass from one segment to the other, the water safety staff stay diligently focused on the swimmers in their area - and are in close communication with others on the course.
Shooting and Filming Races and Swims
Open Water Source highly recommends that all open water swims and races should be captured on film. Not only is the effective cost of filming the race by hand-held video recorders relatively inexpensive, filming the race can serve the following functions:
1. Documentation of the race for educational purposes of the race staff.
2. Documentation of the race for educational purposes of the volunteers.
3. Documentation of the race for educational purposes of the race officials.
4. Documentation of the race course, safety equipment, personnel and swimmers on the course.
5. Documentation of possible rule infractions, cheating, course mishaps or other unforeseen situation or unanticipated accidents.
6. Marketing of future races.
7. Educational or motivational purposes for swimmers and coaches interested in future races.
8. Posting on YouTube, Vimeo and other online file-sharing services.
9. Sharing of the race with future sponsors, vendors, city officials, safety personnel and governing bodies.
1. Documentation of the race for educational purposes of the race staff.
2. Documentation of the race for educational purposes of the volunteers.
3. Documentation of the race for educational purposes of the race officials.
4. Documentation of the race course, safety equipment, personnel and swimmers on the course.
5. Documentation of possible rule infractions, cheating, course mishaps or other unforeseen situation or unanticipated accidents.
6. Marketing of future races.
7. Educational or motivational purposes for swimmers and coaches interested in future races.
8. Posting on YouTube, Vimeo and other online file-sharing services.
9. Sharing of the race with future sponsors, vendors, city officials, safety personnel and governing bodies.
Knowledge of the rules and terms used in the sport are very useful when providing safety services, especially when combined with an intimate knowledge of the body of water and the risks inherent in the sport.
Open Water Rules
Links to the rules, traditions, protocols and generally accepted procedures of the sport are shown below. The rules include a description of the type and number of officials expected on the course to provide the minimum amount of officiating and safety. While each official may have officiating duties, their primary responsibility is safety of the swimmers although the specific rules or descriptions may differ slightly from venue to venue, race to race, channel to channel and organization to organization.
The rules of the English Channel, Catalina Channel, Hawaiian Islands, FINA professional marathon races, FINA world championships, the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim, Strait of Gibraltar, European open water races (LEN), International Paralympic competitions, Team Pursuit, USA Swimming and U.S. Masters Swimming are posted and are updated frequently.
The rules of the English Channel, Catalina Channel, Hawaiian Islands, FINA professional marathon races, FINA world championships, the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim, Strait of Gibraltar, European open water races (LEN), International Paralympic competitions, Team Pursuit, USA Swimming and U.S. Masters Swimming are posted and are updated frequently.
- Click here for the Channel Swimming Association rules governing the English Channel between England and France.
- Click here for the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation rules governing the English Channel between England and France.
- Click here for the Catalina Channel and Swimming Federation rules governing the Catalina Channel.
- Click here for the Strait of Asociacion de Cruce a Nado del Estrecho de Gibraltar (Gibraltar Strait Swimming Association) rules governing the Strait of Gibraltar between Spain and Morocco.
- Click here for the FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) rules governing all FINA competitions (FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix, FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup, World Swimming Championships, World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships, Olympics).
- Click here for Team Pursuit rules governing races where a group of swimmers swim together from start to finish.
- Click here for the LEN (Ligue Européenne de Natation) European Open Water Swimming Cup rules governing LEN races in Europe.
- Click here for the International Paralympic Committee rules governing open water swimming competitions for physically and intellectually disabled athletes.
- Click here for the Tsugaru Channel Swimming Association (津軽海峡遠泳協会) rules governing the Tsugaru Channel in Japan.
- Click here for the USA Swimming rules governing USA Swimming sanctioned races and championship events.
- Click here for the U.S. Masters Swimming rules governing U.S. Masters Swimming sanctioned races and championship events.
- Click here for the Hawaiian Islands Channel rules governing channel swims in the State of Hawaii.
- Click here for the policies of the NYC Swim rules governing swims in and around Manhattan Island in New York City.
- Click here for outlines of escorting open water swimmers with kayaks.
|
| Open Water Race Directors and Coaches Group |
| Participate in interesting discussions |
|
|
| Subscribe to Open Water Race Directors and Coaches Group |
| Email: |
| Speak your mind |
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
www.openwatersource.com is a web property of Pan Pacific Partners.
© 2010 Pan Pacific Partners, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
www.openwatersource.com is a web property of Pan Pacific Partners.
© 2010 Pan Pacific Partners, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|